NHL Records: The Iron Guard of the NHL's 500-Win Club
In the long, illustrious history of the NHL, the "500-Win Club" is one the most exclusive rooms in the building. While 50 NHL star skaters have scored 500 goals, only three goaltenders have ever reached 500 wins. This benchmark demands more than elite talent; it requires a netminder to remain a top-tier starter for two decades without a catastrophic injury or a dip in form.
Reaching this number is a grueling marathon. A goalie must average 25 wins a season for 20 years straight just to sniff the milestone. In an era where the position is physically punishing and teams pivot toward "goalie tandems" rather than workhorse starters, these three legends stand alone.
Martin Brodeur (691 Wins): Martin Brodeur doesn’t just hold the record; he owns it. As the engine behind the New Jersey Devils’ dominance, he spent over 20 seasons in New Jersey. He racked up a staggering 688 wins in a Devils sweater, hoisting three Stanley Cups. After a lifetime in New Jersey, he moved to the St. Louis Blues for a brief swan song in the 2014-15 season, where he added his final 3 wins to reach a total that may never be challenged.
Marc-André Fleury (575 Wins): Marc-André Fleury bloomed across four franchises to claim the second spot all-time. "Flower" was pure adrenaline and athleticism. While he’s most synonymous with Pittsburgh—where he racked up 375 wins and hoisted three Stanley Cups—he proved his worth as a franchise-builder everywhere he went. He became the instant icon of the Vegas Golden Knights (117 wins) and put in solid shifts for Chicago and Minnesota before finally hanging up the skates at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Patrick Roy (551 Wins): Before Patrick Roy, 500 wins felt like a myth. "St. Patrick" didn't just play goal; he revolutionized it with the butterfly style and a legendary chip on his shoulder. His career was a tale of two dynasties: he notched 289 wins in Montreal before a high-drama exit sent him to Colorado, where he tallied another 262 wins and cemented his status as one of the fiercest competitors to ever guard the crease. He retired with four Stanley Cup rings and the distinction of being the first goalie to cross the 500-win threshold.
500-Win Club: The End of an Era?
Looking at today’s NHL, the 500-win club feels like a closed shop. With modern coaches rarely starting a goalie for 70 games a year, win totals are climbing at a crawl. Current active leaders like Sergei Bobrovsky (450 wins) are still quite a distance from the mark. Unless a new phenom emerges to dominate the crease for the next 20 years, Brodeur, Fleury, and Roy may remain the only “Iron Guard” of the NHL’s 500-Win Club for the foreseeable future.